


When The Sun Goes Down

by FrangipaniFlower



Category: Homeland
Genre: AU, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends With Benefits, Fun, Post S2, alternative ending, no one suffers here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 10:09:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11895492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrangipaniFlower/pseuds/FrangipaniFlower
Summary: Chapter 1 was written about a year ago, as a fun project.Post S2, Carrie turned Brody to give them intel before the Langley bombing, so that never happened. Brody is history but who is still around? Quinn, yes!Carrie and Quinn are assigned to a new mission, Quinn has a new nurse, eh girlfriend, and Carrie and Quinn become friends - and then something changes...





	When The Sun Goes Down

**Author's Note:**

> I thought this might be the day to finally post this, just to let you know that there always be fics and our AUs.
> 
> Set after season 2, before the Javadi mess had a chance to happen. 
> 
> The Langley bombing never happened in this AU, Carrie had been able to turn Congressman/spy/terrorist/lover/treacherous husband/father Brody soon enough to give them the pivotal intel they needed to prevent the attack. In return Brody was never to be seen again. You wanna know where he went? Some say witness protection, some say back into Nazir's heirs arms, some say he's taking a gap year feeding sea lions cubs at the North Sea. For this AU it doesn't matter where he went. Cause Carrie's done  
> with him. She's not pregnant, not in love and certainly not missing him. He's just gone. And let's pretend we won't miss him neither, will we?

Preventing one of the biggest terror attacks in history on American soil gives Carrie a tail wind. She can choose her next mission, her team, whatever she wants. And to her sister's and father's surprise (and delight) she chooses a break. Still fighting terrorism but not abroad, it's another stint at Langley she chooses.

After the Brody case has been closed she hasn't seen Quinn for a while which stings more than she has expected. Suddenly he was gone. And equally suddenly he's back, one morning expecting her at the elevator with two paper cups of coffee.

He doesn't tell her where he was, of course not. Rumors are it's been Venezuela again. He seems changed. Quiet, something in his eyes is different, he's not that biting snarky anymore. She doesn't know what it is but she offers him a post as analyst in her team and he accepts, even says 'thank you'.

And so they work together again. Carrie's leading an operation to trail the network of a sidearm of the mafia financing terror camps in the Middle East. It's months of work to dig deep until they finally have a contact. And strange things happen in those months.

After that Brody mess Carrie's relatively stable now. And she and Quinn, she can't really put a finger on it but sometimes she thinks they are the closest thing to being friends now she ever had.

They sometimes go for dinner together, he started that habit when they were about to pull another allnighter, saying he couldn't stand take away anymore. So they went for pizza, the irony not lost on both of them with their mafia case.

And it's fun. A break. He's still sassy, quick in his responses, fun bantering. But he isn't that asshole he used to be anymore.

After that first time they do it more often. And then they start to meet during their days off. For a run, a Netflix movie, for dinner, or just to hang out at her place. They call it 'going through the files'. Just, the files are never touched on those occasions, they just talk about random stuff or watch a movie, Netflix provides a great deal of help with that.

She thinks he's seeing someone, probably still that nurse because in some weeks she nearly never sees him after work and he leaves the office early whereas in other weeks he's never leaving before she does and usually asks her out for dinner or a drink then.

They never speak about work, at least not about the recent case. But they talk about previous cases. She tells him about her interpreter and he tells her how his cover within the south american cartels got blown. He's fun when telling stories, a great deal of dry humor and self irony. She didn't expect that.

Once she asks him why he's not working with Dar Adal anymore. He says he can't answer and she probably wouldn't wanna hear the story. But as usual after she gives a long glare he breaks away first, gives a sigh and a half-smile and tells her that his cover got blown during his last mission and that Adal was and probably still is royally pissed. He can give great stand up comedy doing Dar in all his dark glooming and yet so outdated glory and Carrie thinks she'll never ever be able again to eat or let alone see a donut or a waffle without thinking of Dar and Quinn making fun of his superior.

One Saturday evening, they had been planning to meet for a run in the park on Sunday and maybe going up to Langley later, he calls her to cancel. His voice is unusually terse, he seems distracted and doesn't really give a reason. So in a minute decision she decides it's time to learn more about his girlfriend, just a short glimpse, she's been wondering what kind of woman makes Quinn fold. So she rummages through her small emergency bag, produces a wig, coloured contact lenses, a batik tunika dress, sandals and and some amulets, he'll never make her in a hippie-like appearance and rents a car she picks up at 5 am. She's never been to his place but dropped him there several times. It's not that he ever said she couldn't come in, just that he's not much of an interior designer and that her place is much better. So that's where they usually meet or he just pops up at the glass door with a gentle knock. At her indignant inquiry that she might have another visitor he just gave a dry _It's not that I never saw you having sex_ and they put that matter to rest - but he keeps doing that, coming around without appointment. Usually she's home anyway and sometimes on Sundays she catches herself checking the clock around his usual time wondering where he is.

She nearly misses his appearance over her musings, he comes out at around 8, evidently fresh out of the shower, the usual button down but today with jeans, suits his ass, she thinks. Maybe a date for breakfast and the nurse has late shift?

And indeed, he drives to Georgetown and picks up a tall dark haired woman, not dressed in scrubs yet but why would she on what is presumably her day off. Carrie just gets a short glimpse of her before she gets into the car and is surprised.

First, she always expected Dating Quinn to be a gentleman. He even fucking opens the passenger door for her when they go for dinner and she never ever paid for a single meal in the last weeks. Which she considers as fair since she provides the booze at her place and she always gets what she now knows he likes. And his taste is good, classic and expensive. Not that she minds, it's too much fun and his drinking is moderate these days. But the few times she tried to pay for dinner she earned an indignant glare, black ops stare and all, and folded before he could shoot her for trying to pay. But here he just sits in his car until the woman comes out.

Second, Carrie can't really see it as she's too far away, but it seems like the woman's leaning in for a kiss but he's not even turning his head.

Well, not really a surprise, she never took him for one being very fancy of public displays of affection.

 

Fuck, when did she even start to think about that.

Third, the woman's attractive but...Carrie needs a closer look, but she thinks she can make plastic boobies, no, real big boobs, nothing diminutive here, not at all, from a mile's distance and these here clearly are a plastic surgeon's showcase. She doesn't know what she thought what Quinn's type would be but certainly someone more...natural. Beautiful, of course, but more a classic beauty with some interesting edges. And the girl has a lot of makeup for a breakfast date. And she thinks she even spotted a glimpse of long coloured nails. Fuck, that starts a train of thought she's not proud of, including broad naked shoulders and some scratches.

Overall Carrie decides it's worth a closer look. Quinn spied on her and her so-called love life several times so this is just to make them even, she tells herself.

She overhears the gnawing little voice of her better nature telling her Quinn did it while his appointed task was hunting down a traitor and terrorist she happened to be fucking, whereas she's on her day off now - and so is Quinn. It shouldn't be her business.

He's heading towards the river and she thinks he and his girl are planning a romantic cherry blossom walk, and when did Quinn become an ordinary romantic? 

But then he stops at a Starbucks and strolls towards the entrance before the nurse even has opened her door. She's clearly pissed and Carrie's in a great mood. Quinn not so much. That's the Quinn she's used to, pursing his lips and annoyed, and it's not that she's missed him. But it's a great relief to see him like this with someone else, so it's not just her who brings out that streak in him.

It's risky but she's afraid to miss the most interesting parts of the outing so she has to follow, not without putting some sandalwood oil on her wrists and below her earlobes. She hates the scent but that's what hippies use, isn't it. And the way she looks and smells now she could stand right next to Quinn and he wouldn't make her.

 

At least he pays for the woman's coffee and yoghurt, also Carrie thinks that she's been to nicer breakfast places with him.

The woman is a vulture. A bitchy vulture. As soon as they're seated she's having her hands all over him, and yes, she has long coloured nails and that's truly not the only and worst artificial part of her body. Her voice is loud and she's talking non-stop, calling Quinn 'James' (interesting, so he's using a fake) and 'sweetheart'. The first 'sweetheart' nearly makes her blow her cover as she nearly spits her coffee all over the place. And that sandalwood overdose nearly makes her vomit anyway.

God, now she's trailing her long fingernails up Quinn's thigh, leaning in and purring 'You like that, sweetheart? It's still three hours till my shift. Plenty of time.'

Last time she had any color around her nails was after hunting Nazir when she came out of that mill, it was red too, but with her own blood. And he was there offering his arm, his jacket and much needed comfort, but wasn’t bothered by the blood although it highly likely ruined his jacket and shirt.

But then it hits her. She's seen that woman before. She's a nurse at Walter Reed. So that's where they met. Quinn has a weak spot for nurses. Or maybe it's just an easy pick up, given his business he probably is a frequent customer in the surgical wards of the world and he's not an unattractive guy. Well, Carrie knows it's kind of an understatement of the century, he _is_ fucking attractive. She knows and she sees the girls ogling when they go for dinner or a run. But the guys ogle as well, and she hopes it's her they're after and not Quinn as well. Who knows. But statistically there can't be so many guys playing for the other team so at least two thirds of those stares are for her, probably more.

It's a shame she can't tease him with her inquiries but that would be so much fun, _wouldn't it, James, sweetheart?_

She senses they are about to leave when the woman goes for a bathroom break, even saying she needs to powder her nose and so she herself makes a head start to be at her car when Quinn and his Barbie go back to his car. So she misses Quinn's long stare in her back while she's leaving the coffee shop. 

Surprisingly enough they don't go back to the woman's place so maybe James is not in the mood for getting his back scratched, Carrie chuckles in her car while listening to some mellow jazz. She's five cars behind them, falling a bit further back. If Quinn spots the same car on two occasions in one morning she's fucked. But when they pass the Marine's memorial she knows she's been right he's taking his girl for a walk. That's easy stuff. She waits 100 yards down the road from the parking lot which should be enough time for Quinn and the vulture to disappear into the park, quickly changes her wig and the tunika, now she's ginger (not ideal but that's what she had at home, a dark and a ginger wig) with a blue dress, sadly can't do anything about the sandalwood smell, and follows them at a safe distance. 

And so she's apparently missed the best part. Because when she tails them again, they're sitting on a bench and the woman's left hand is just about to make a smashing appearance on Quinn's left cheekbone. Fucking ouch. And then she yells nasty stuff about...Carrie's sadly too far away to get it all...but she gets some bits and pieces... something about _'you promised', 'they're my friends as you don't seem to have any', 'always those secret evenings, suddenly running late', 'never answering your phone'_ and then Carrie decides she has enough. That's a mediocre fight with a woman who has no clue, and if that's the way how Quinn wants to spend his day it's his own fucking business. 

So she leaves and is already back on the way to her Arlington home when her phone vibrates. A text. _’Change of plans. Time for a run and dinner tonight? Again sorry for canceling last night.'_ He doesn't type _’please'_ but certainly feels that way. She really has to hurry to take a long shower to wash away the sandalwood toxic smell. 

They get seriously drunk that night, both of them, after dinner with what was intended just to be a single nightcap at her place. 

Following a spontaneous idea they play scrabble while drinking and they both have to admit it's much more fun when drunk, especially when using all languages they have some knowledge of. 

She calls it a day at 3 am and offers him the couch, there's no way he can drive now. 

He's already up and surprisingly well when she comes downstairs a few hours later and after a quick coffee they drive to their office, just feeling a tiny bit awkward.

She wonders why he never tries anything with her. But well, he has a girlfriend, probably next week she'll be on early shifts again and he'll leave the office by 6 sharp several days. Only then he doesn’t. 

He wonders what he is for her. As far as he knows nobody else is around. She is not even flirting with other guys right now, she's perfectly well behaved, she's fun, she's whip smart and getting shitfaced last night has been the only exception in weeks, and that only happened because he was so done in after seeing Alice that he talked her into it. And sometimes he thinks she's making an effort when they meet for dinner. No loose pantsuits but dresses or jeans and nice shirts, not that he's ogling but she does look great in these. And a hint of makeup and perfume. 

So overall things were great. Or not. Because being friend-zoned is not what he feels comfortable with. And that's what they suddenly are: friends. 

And then several things happen:  
Number one - He stops seeing the nurse. That was long overdue anyway. Carrie notices when he's pulling long days at the office two weeks in a row. But she doesn't comment. Neither does he.

Number two - after weeks of digging they suddenly have a major breakthrough with their case. Carrie makes a contact, the intel he provides is promising. Downside as far as Quinn is concerned: The guy - Matteo Aliberti - took a shine on Carrie and asks her out for dinner several times a week. Of course she accepts and the intel gets more and better. They decide they can't be seen in public these days, well, Carrie decides that and he agrees because that's the professional thing to do to not risk the relationship with the new asset. But he's no fan. Not at all. 

Next thing is Carrie goes on a weekend trip with the guy who happens to be eye candy (Carrie’s secretary said so when he was entering the room and Carrie laughed and nodded). She only tells him on Monday morning after the weekend, commenting that she really had a hard time to insist on separate rooms, pulling the roman-catholic upbringing card. Quinn produces a fake smile but is worried, very worried. 

He appears at her glass door two nights that week and she's never home. 

Friday morning he sees her at the drugstore near Langley, buying sunscreen and a hat. 

Carrie has been pondering all week long whether to tell Quinn that she’s going to Italy or not. Saul has clearly forbidden any information to anyone but it's not that Quinn couldn't keep a secret. But when she finally wants to tell him, Friday, just a few hours before she leaves, he's nowhere to be found and doesn't answer her call. So she just texts him she'll be back in a few days and if he wants a T-Shirt from the Colosseum. 

Matteo has booked her a large corner suite at the St. Regis and insists on taking her around in his city before they talk shop and make contact to his contacts. Carrie's never been to Rome before and is mesmerized by the city's rich history and culture. They visit the Forum Romanum, the Spanish Stairs, the Colosseum, walk on the Via Appia, stroll through the Vatican Museum, see the Fontana di Trevi (although she hates the way he ogles at her tits when talking about Anita Ekberg) and have a delicious dinner. Matteo tries to kiss her when he brings her to her room but she manages to extricate herself and murmurs something about jet lag and slips into her room before he can make a second attempt. It's not that she would mind, he his hot as fuck but she wants the intel first. But maybe he'll be more motivated to provide great intel when she gives him some...motivation...? Those gorgeous heavenly mattresses weren't made to sleep alone on them...maybe she should just have a real drink not just wine and that sticky yellowish Limoncello, more like Wodka or Gin, and then make a surprise visit to Matteo's room. But first the minibar, she needs a drink. 

She scans the insides of the minibar, and is surprised when she finds the normal sized bottle of frizzante there. 

She almost jumps and nearly drops the bottle when she hears a familiar voice saying _Carrie_ behind her back. 

It's Quinn. Sitting in the dark, in one of the large leather chairs, his legs stretched, his bare feet on the coffee table, popping some peanuts in his mouth. 


End file.
